Wastewater Based Epidemiology – A strategic solution for population protection

The use of wastewater based epidemiology has expanded substantially during the current pandemic, creating an opportunity to monitor and improve the health of communities in the long term. WBE can not only capture the whole range of faecal pathogens, but can also be deployed to address other aspects of public health interest such as the presence of pharmaceutical metabolites, of both therapeutic and recreational origins. The potential for such passive population surveillance raises a number of ethical challenges and WBE is now experiencing a watershed moment, elements of which we will explore in this conference:

The use of wastewater based epidemiology has expanded substantially during the current pandemic, creating an opportunity to monitor and improve the health of communities in the long term. WBE can not only capture the whole range of faecal pathogens, but can also be deployed to address other aspects of public health interest such as the presence of pharmaceutical metabolites, of both therapeutic and recreational origins. The potential for such passive population surveillance raises a number of ethical challenges and WBE is now experiencing a watershed moment, elements of which we will explore in this conference: